I just checked: http://www.four-thirds.org and compared the 100-300mm lens with the 4/3s 50-200mm lens and there's no way that a tripod mount would have been designed for that lens, it's just too small.

I have that mount for my 100-300. To buy it send the company an email and they will reply with instructions on how to buy one directly from them for about $100 US. Payment will be via PayPal. They build these in batches once they get enough orders so delivery times can vary quite a bit.

Most people that own these are more impressed with it than I am. The mount is very well and the camera balances much better but since the barrel of the lens is plastic and not designed for a tripod mount it is not nearly as stiff as a lens that is designed to have a collar. I did not notice any less motion blur using the mount. When I do use a tripod it is a Gitzo 1325 with an Arca Swiss B1 head, which is heavy but very stable tripod/head. I also have a RRS mounting plate for my GX7. If you have a less stable but lighter tripod and head combination you might see more improvement than I did. Knowing what I do now I would pay no more than $50 for the mount but most people seem to disagree with me and think it is worth the $100 price tag.

The mount was one of the main reasons to switch from oly to pana for this lens. The mount is indeed vety well build and works like a charm. Worth every penny and very quick delivery. Fully recommended!!!

I have that mount for my 100-300. To buy it send the company an email and they will reply with instructions on how to buy one directly from them for about $100 US. Payment will be via PayPal. They build these in batches once they get enough orders so delivery times can vary quite a bit.

Most people that own these are more impressed with it than I am. The mount is very well and the camera balances much better but since the barrel of the lens is plastic and not designed for a tripod mount it is not nearly as stiff as a lens that is designed to have a collar. I did not notice any less motion blur using the mount. When I do use a tripod it is a Gitzo 1325 with an Arca Swiss B1 head, which is heavy but very stable tripod/head. I also have a RRS mounting plate for my GX7. If you have a less stable but lighter tripod and head combination you might see more improvement than I did. Knowing what I do now I would pay no more than $50 for the mount but most people seem to disagree with me and think it is worth the $100 price tag.

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Hi Dave, why do you expect better results with a lighter tripod/head combo? Also, when it does not improve stability, why would you even want to pay 50 dollar for it? [emoji1]

Hi Dave, why do you expect better results with a lighter tripod/head combo? Also, when it does not improve stability, why would you even want to pay 50 dollar for it? [emoji1]

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Dave said 'more improvement' not 'better results'. I'd imagine this would be because his quality tripod locks the camera really steady without the need for the bracket. With a slightly unstable tripod you need all the help you can get!

Hi Dave, why do you expect better results with a lighter tripod/head combo? Also, when it does not improve stability, why would you even want to pay 50 dollar for it? [emoji1]

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My heavy tripod setup locks the camera into position so tightly that motion blur is not a problem even without the collar. I would not expect a less stable tripod to match the results of a good one but with the collar it could come closer. And that is worth $50 to me.

Despite being made of carbon fiber the tripod/head I am using now weighs 6.5 pounds which is too heavy to take hiking and too long to fit into a normal checked bag so I want to get something smaller and lighter. Since smaller and lighter means less stable the collar will probably help. I have also been experimenting with a could of other options. I have a hiking staff with a 1/4 inch screw to mount a camera on that is too long for the camera but works well on the collar. I also have a small, cheap tabletop tripod that cannot even hold the camera in position without the collar. Both of these alternatives are much less effective at preventing motion blur than my big tripod but work better with the collar.

I do think the collar helps but not as much as I hoped. With my big tripod I saw no improvement and with the hiking staff/monopod and tabletop tripod it helps but is not the huge leap forward you would think from reading some of the reviews. With larger lenses a good collar is a necessity but at one pound the 100-300 is right on the verge of not needing one. That it holds the lens by its plastic shroud that was not designed to be rigid does not help. On lenses that have a collar as standard equipment the collar attaches to a very solid metal portion of the lens barrel which is much stiffer and vibration resistant.

On nice thing about the collar that nobody has mentioned is that it is Arca-Swiss compatible so you do not have to buy a mounting plate for your tripod head.

* Its universal, so the same unit can be potentially applied to a variety of lenses and applications. Some adapted telephotos and macro lenses would be able to also use this contraption. In particular when combined with a focusing rail during macro.
* It "closes the box" by tying both the lens and the camera body to a bracket. This certainly makes more sense from a universal standpoint. I have some concern with an add on collar for a lens of mostly plastic construction that wasn't designed with a collar from the beginning. Certainly not sure about the section behind the collar including the "hanging" body.

On the other hand, I'm not convinced of its use from a practicality standpoint. Certainly wouldn't work for many of our native telephotos out of the box as the shortest lens to mount distance is something like 7 inches... I would have to modify it to fit our shorter lenses. I also intend to use this with a very stable tripod equipped with a gimbal head... its already heavy.. will adding this add more weight unnecessarily?

I also already have a nodal slider bracket that I use with the gimbal. I suppose I could modify it and add the lens support side with velcro as a DIY project.... sounds like fun.

I'd love to hear some opinions from someone with first hand knowledge.

This was the best set of pictures of its use in combination with the 100-300mm in its most extended position.

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